Gary Mayor Presses State Police on Shooting Probe
Nine officers fatally shot security guard Kenneth Williams Sr. in downtown Gary, and the mayor has asked state investigators to finish their review.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Law Enforcement
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton sent a letter urging Indiana State Police to complete its investigation into the fatal shooting of security officer Kenneth Williams Sr. by six Gary police officers and three Lake County Sheriff's deputies on Aug. 28. Melton also asked the agency to publicly release its findings.
Why it matters
The shooting involved nine officers from two agencies, and the mayor's request highlights public interest in transparency and timely findings in police use-of-force cases. All nine officers remain on administrative leave while the investigation is pending.
Nine officers are on administrative leave while Indiana State Police continue their investigation, which has not yet been finalized or publicly released. The investigation's findings remain pending, and the family disputes police claims that Williams was behaving erratically.
The players
Eddie Melton
Melton is the mayor of Gary, Indiana, and has pressed state police to complete the investigation and publicly release its findings.
Indiana State Police
Indiana State Police is the state law enforcement agency conducting the investigation into the shooting.
Kenneth Williams Sr.
Williams was a veteran who had worked in security for years and was fatally shot by officers while on duty.
The details
Officers responded to a call at the Gary Metro Center on Aug. 28, where Williams was working security and carrying a firearm as part of his duties. Police said he was showing signs of unusual and erratic behavior, a characterization his son, Kenneth Williams Jr., disputes.
Timeline
Aug. 28: Officers responded to the call at the Gary Metro Center, and Williams was fatally shot.
Monday: Melton told the Gary Common Council he had sent the letter to Indiana State Police.
Legal Context
In Indiana, state police typically handle investigations of officer-involved shootings to provide outside review when local agencies are involved. The Gary case, in which officers from both city police and county sheriff's deputies fired, illustrates that multi-agency arrangement.
Residents of Gary may see continued police accountability debate as the state investigation proceeds. The public has not been given a timeline for when findings will be released.
The takeaway
Residents following police-involved shootings can track whether state investigators release findings publicly, as the mayor has requested, to understand how the case is resolved.
Further reading
Explore more Gary law enforcement coverage for context on local police accountability.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Nwitimes.
